Flint Hill Elementary School Principal Dr. Lynne DiNardo Announces Retirement
Dr. Lynne DiNardo will soon call it a career after spending almost thirty years in education—all in the Newton County School System. The current principal of Flint Hill Elementary School recently announced her retirement effective the end of the 2020-2021 school year.
DiNardo began her career in Newton County as a long-term substitute teacher and worked her way up the ranks over the years. She served as a pre-kindergarten and first grade teacher at Fairview Elementary and later became the literacy coach for the Reading Excellence Act at Heard-Mixon Elementary School. When Rocky Plains Elementary opened in 2005, she was hired as an assistant principal. She later served as assistant principal at Ficquett Elementary and then Mansfield Elementary. Dr. DiNardo was later promoted to school principal at Mansfield Elementary and served in that capacity for two years before transferring to Flint Hill Elementary in 2014.
“I have truly loved every job I have had in Newton County,” said DiNardo. “Working with children was a lifelong dream that came true. Last year and this year were very different from all of my previous years. I learned a lot about different ways to handle ongoing changes.”
She added, “I will miss seeing the students every morning as that is my favorite time of the day!”
When asked if there were any special highlights in her career she mentioned her time as a literacy coach.
“That was such an amazing opportunity,” she noted. “I got to work with some great names in education and made friends all over the state that I still keep in touch with today.”
While she expressed that she will genuinely miss the school, its staff and students, she is looking forward to retirement as she plans on traveling and spending time with her grandchildren and family.
“On behalf of the members of the board of education and our school system staff and administration, I would like to thank and commend Dr. DiNardo for her years of service to our students and community,” said Samantha Fuhrey, Superintendent of the Newton County School System. “Dr. DiNardo has spent almost her entire educational career working in our school system, and we are fortunate she selected the Newton County School System as her home. Dr. DiNardo is a champion for public education and for the students she has served throughout her tenure. We wish Dr. DiNardo the very best as she begins this next step, and we hope she will visit often!”